Another Queen

Blown Away

I don't own Reign!!!
I want to warn you ahead of time that there is a severe injury/near death in this chapter and it is very hard for me to write, but I need some conflict in this story.

Ella and Mary lounged on their barge, relaxing on pillows and drinking. Suddenly a guard walked up to them.

"Your majesties," he gasped "there is a hooded figure along the banks, they are glaring at the boat we are going to move to the other ride of the pond."

"Very well," Ella said calmly " thank you for informing us."

Francis walked over to them and they began a conversation about their animals. Suddenly a gunshot rang out! Francis dove in front of the two women to protect them. Many more shots rang out before the guards who had jumped overboard caught the gunmen. Mary was weeping into Ella's dress, clutching her new friend for dear life. Ella remained calm, although she was just as terrified. When the shots stopped and the barge docked, the guards presented the rulers with three men in dark cloaks.

The first's hood was ripped from his head and snarled, not at the French rulers, but at the Empress. "Cruel, unworthy bi..." he began only to have a guard shove a gag in his mouth. Ella paled.

The second's hood was removed and he too glared at the Empress "You are not so pure as you pretend, you who..." another gag.

The third's hood was pulled from their face and revealed a man. Ella gasped and stumbled backwards. "You... you should be dead!" She stammered "I killed you!"

"No." The man said coldly "but I'm glad to see you remember me. My pretty, little..." Ella herself shoved a gag into his mouth.

As the men were led to the dungeons Francis put his hand to his side only to find it wet and sticky with blood. He gasped audibly and Mary went over to him.

When she saw the blood she screamed in horror "NO!"

Ella immediately took charge, calling for servants "Get him inside! Now! Someone get Lady Adrianna! Quickly!"

She reached for Mary who slapped her across the face "You!" She screamed "This is your fault! If you had never come here they never would have had cause to shoot at us and Francis would be alright!"

Ella stepped back then sighed and hurried back to the castle. She had promised herself that she wouldn't argue with Mary on this visit. She knew that Mary was afraid and needed someone to blame, that didn't make it any easier, but she knew the reasons behind Mary's rage.

Ella reached the hospital wing just behind Francis and Lady Adrianna. "Is he going to be alright? Please tell me he is going to survive!" She cried.

"He should." Lady Adrianna reassured her "He is young and strong, with the right care, he will recover."

Then Cathrine burst into the room in hysterics crying and screaming for her eldest son. She saw Ella and threw herself into the girl's arms. She wept and Ella held her. Adrianna worked and tried to heal Francis. Mary had run to the chapel to pray for her husband.

Finally, hours later the bleeding had been slowed, the bullet removed, and the wound cleaned. Thankfully the bullet had not hit any vital organs.

When Francis fell asleep Ella stood and went to the chapel to pray. When she entered she saw the figure of Mary on her knees, deep in prayer.

She knelt beside her "Francis is sleeping, he should be alright."

Mary looked at her, not saying anything, tears streamed down her face. Her eyes were blotchy and she was obviously exhausted.

"Come," Ella soothed "let's get you some sleep." She lifted Mary and helped her to her rooms where her ladies undressed her, put her in her nightgown, and put her to bed.

Mary was in shock. Her husband had nearly died, she had gone back to her cruel ways towards Ella, and she couldn't believe it. She lay in bed, unable to sleep.

Finally she sat up and called for her ladies. "Give me a robe I'm going to see Ella."

She walked to Ella's rooms only to hear the crying beyond her door. As it swung open Mary saw Cathrine holding Ella in her arms as the Empress wept. It was the first time Mary had ever seen her cry. Ella looked up and held out her arms for the queen of France. Mary fell into her arms and the three women cried together the whole night through.

The next morning Ella and Cathrine went to visit Francis, Mary stayed behind, afraid to go and see her husband, in case it was the last time she would ever see him.

Ella returned and saw Mary sitting at Francis's desk. She walked up to her "Mary? Can you hear me?"

Mary nodded.

"Francis has declared you regent of France while he recovers."

Mary sighed. "Then as my first order of business." She stood up "You, Empress Ella of Russia, Sweden, Germany, Denmark, Iceland, Poland, and Africa, are hereby banished from French court. If you had not been here Francis would not be hurt. So you will be gone by tomorrow morning and do not even think of going to Francis about this. You will just leave. No goodbyes, no 'I'm sorry's' you will just leave."

Ella looked at her, eyes watering, "As you wish Queen Mary. But you have now made an enemy of me. You will regret this." She swept out of the room and Mary collapsed in her chair and began to cry.

Ella walked into her rooms and ordered her ladies to pack her bags immediately. They saw her expression and did as she asked without question. Ella went into her private study and sat, staring at her hands, as her eyes filled with tears that at last spilled over and dripped down her face.

After an hour she dried her eyes and went out to find her bags all packed and her ladies waiting for her.

"Come," She said "a carriage has been arranged for us."

The ladies followed her out, Kenna sadly trailing behind. They climbed into a coach and tumbled out the palace gates. Ella looked back to the place where her friend lay injured and took a deep, shaky, breath.

"We shall be back." She declared "But first, we have a war to wage. One against Queen Mary."

Word count: 1085

Wow not bad considering it's tech week for a show I'm in! Anyway I hope you enjoyed the chapter! I promised some drama and I hope I delivered. I'm sorry if it's not great but in my defense I have not been sleeping very much. But PLEASE vote, comment, and add to your reading lists!
Love,
The author❤️